Asian American Chamber of Commerce

What Asian American Chamber of Commerce does

The Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (AACC) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) business league headquartered at 8270 Greensboro Drive, Suite 850, McLean, Virginia, with approximately 29 employees and a documented presence since the late 2000s. It operates as a membership-based platform serving the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) business community in the Greater Washington D.C. metro area (D.C., Maryland, Northern Virginia), with a stated secondary national remit. The organization does not sell a unified software product; instead it operates an interconnected services platform anchored by an online Membership Directory of more than 80 corporate members, recurring signature events (the Annual Asian American Business Summit, the Jewels of Asia Chamber Awards Gala, the 40 Under 40 Awards Gala, Lunch with Leaders, and Mentorship Sessions), plus member services including Hot Deals/Marketspace, a Job Board, Webinars, a Newsletter, and curated Business Resources linking to federal and regional economic development agencies.

AACC generates revenue through three documented streams: recurring annual corporate and individual Membership Fees structured as subscription dues (pricing not publicly disclosed), Event Sponsorships from corporations underwriting signature galas and summits, and Event Registration Fees paid by attendees. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on corporate members (PNC Bank, 22nd Century Technologies, World Insurance, Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, M&T Bank, KPMG, Comcast Business, Under Armour, Hungry, Capital Bank, Dominion, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, Pepco, WorkSource Montgomery, and others) and a government partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA) via a memorandum of agreement signed April 6, 2023, plus a partnership with Pepco Holdings, Inc. secured in December 2023. The chamber is led by President and Founder Dr. Cindy Shao, with co-chairs Kishan Alexander (World Insurance) and Hao Chen (Capital Bank N.A.), and runs its events on the Glueup platform.

Name

Asian American Chamber of Commerce

Legal name

Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

Website

https://asian-americanchamber.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Asian American Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) membership-based organization serving Asian American Pacific Islander businesses and professionals in the Greater Washington, D.C. metro area through networking events, awards programs, a member directory, and partnerships with federal agencies and corporate sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

McLean, Virginia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The chamber generates revenue through membership dues from corporate and individual members. Membership levels and benefits are structured to serve businesses of various sizes.
2. Event Sponsorships: Sponsorships from corporations for signature events including the Jewels of Asia Gala, 40 Under 40 Awards, and Annual Business Summits.
3. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from attendees at chamber events including networking luncheons, galas, mentorship sessions, and business summits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Asian American Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit trade association that provides membership-based services to AAPI-owned businesses and professionals in the Greater Washington D.C. region. Its core offerings include annual memberships, networking events, mentorship programs, an awards gala recognizing business achievement, and an online business directory. The organization also advocates for AAPI business interests and facilitates connections between member businesses and corporate/government partners.

Product overview

The Asian American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) operates as a membership-based nonprofit organization providing a platform of interconnected services rather than a unified software product. The core offering centers on a Membership Directory enabling business discovery, paired with signature Events programs including the Lunch with Leaders series, Annual Asian American Business Summit, and Jewels of Asia Chamber Awards Gala. Additional member services include the 40 Under 40 Awards program, Webinars for professional development, Hot Deals & Marketspace for member-to-member commerce, a Job Board for workforce placement, Business Resources connecting members to regional development agencies, and AACC Mentorship Sessions for career advancement. The chamber also distributes a regular Newsletter for community communications. All programs collectively support AACC's mission to build bridges and serve as a resource for the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) business community in the Greater Washington, D.C. region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate and Individual Memberships Annual paid memberships granting AAPI businesses and professionals access to networking events, directory listing, advocacy resources, and corporate partner connections. Designed for AAPI-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, and corporate partners in the Greater Washington D.C. region.
• Awards Gala and Recognition Program An annual gala event recognizing AAPI business leaders, member companies, and community contributors through formal awards categories. Designed for member businesses seeking visibility and recognition within the AAPI business community.
• Networking Events and Business Mixers Periodic in-person networking events, mixers, and educational programming designed to facilitate business connections among AAPI professionals and business owners in the D.C. metro area.
• Mentorship Program A structured mentorship program pairing experienced AAPI business executives and corporate leaders with emerging entrepreneurs and small business owners for business development guidance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80 corporate members and individual members in the membership directory
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Pepco Holdings, Inc. (PHI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 December 2023Partnership with Pepco Holdings, Inc. (which includes utilities Pepco and Delmarva Power) to offer information and resources that empower commercial (business owners) and residential (homeowners) to participate in energy efficient and cost savings programs. The partnership brings awareness to members and Asian American families in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties about PHI's commercial and residential programs.
• U.S. Department of Commerce - International Trade Administration (ITA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2023AACC and ITA signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on April 6, 2023 to promote the competitiveness of U.S. industry, improve the global business environment, and provide opportunities and resources for the AAPI-owned business community. The partnership includes joint marketing, educational programs and events, and worldwide office collaboration to help AAPI-owned firms become more export-savvy. AACC is among ITA's Strategic Partners who have connected more than 1,500 companies to federal export assistance.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC): National-level AAPI chamber of commerce with a similar mission of advancing Asian American business interests through advocacy, events, and corporate partnerships. Directly comparable in mission, member base, and program model, though operating at a national rather than regional scope.
• National Asian American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ACE): National AAPI chamber focused on entrepreneurship and economic development. Highly comparable membership-based model, advocacy focus, and member services (events, education, networking) targeting AAPI business owners and professionals.
• U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: National chamber representing Hispanic business interests. Highly comparable model — membership-based business league serving an ethnic minority business community, with corporate sponsors, signature events, and federal advocacy engagement.
• Washington DC Chamber of Commerce: Local D.C. business chamber with overlapping corporate members, networking events, and advocacy focus. Directly comparable as a regional chamber-of-commerce model operating in the same primary market.
• Greater Washington Board of Trade: Regional business membership organization serving the Greater Washington D.C. area. Comparable as a regional chamber operating in the same geography, with similar corporate member base, event programming, and advocacy role.
• National Black Chamber of Commerce: National chamber advocating for Black-owned business interests. Similar membership, event, and advocacy model to AACC but serving a different minority business community; useful comp for organizational structure and revenue mix.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Largest business federation in the U.S., representing companies of all sizes across all sectors. Overlaps with AACC in advocacy and member services but operates at vastly broader scale and scope; serves as the incumbent benchmark for the chamber-of-commerce model.

Others

• National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC): Ecosystem participant focused on advancing minority-owned business inclusion in corporate supply chains. Adjacent rather than directly competitive — NMSDC operates a certification/matchmaking model while AACC runs a chamber/community model — but both engage the same corporate diversity buyers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AsianAmericanChamberofCommerce
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asian-american-chamber-of-commerce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Asian American Chamber of Commerce